Shramahara Gana Of Charaka – Tiredness Relieving Group Of Herbs

By Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD(Ayu), PhD.
The work leads to exhaustion. The tiredness should be managed effectively by nutritious supplements. Ayurveda prescribes several such nourishing and replenishing medicaments and they are termed as Shramahara gana drugs which mean the drugs capable of revitalizing and energy boosting drugs of ayurvedic pharmacognosy.

These drugs are instant energy supplements and tissue replenishers. Due to their high nutritional value and nature of instant energy supply they have been named as shramahara drugs. Details of ayurvedic literature in this regard are reviewed here below-

Shramahara Gana

Let us review the quality and action of these drugs one by one in brief-

1. Darksha – Raisin – Vitis vinifera -Dry fruits
Nutritive, nourishing, laxative, hemetenic, energizing, complexion enhancers ,tonic etc.

2. Kharjura – Dates – (Phoenix sylvestris Roxb.) – Dry fruits
Hemetenic, instant energizer, hemetenic, rejuvinative, stimulant, digestive, bulk enhancer etc.

3. Priyala (Buchanania lanzan) – Seeds
Bitter tonic, rejuvinative, anti helmethic, stimulant, anti microbial etc.

4. Badara – Zizyphus jujube – Seeds
Stabilizer, restorative, bulk enhancer, cardiac tonic, stimulant etc.

5. Dadima – Pomegranate – Punica granatum – Fruit
Cardiac tonic, carminative, digestive, stimulant, hemetenic, absorbant, appetizer etc.

6. Phalgu (Ficus hispida Linn. f.)-Fruits
Coolant, bulk enhancer, diuretic, soothing, tonic, nutritive, nourishing etc.

7. Parushaka (Grewia asiatica Linn.) – Fruits
Cardiac tonic, appetizer, carminative, tonic, energizer etc.

8. Ikshu – Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum Linn.)-Stem/Juice
Diuretic, instant energizer, soothing, revitalize, rejuvinative, replenisher etc.

9. Yava – Barley (Hordeum vulgare) – Seeds
Bowel bulk enhancer, cooling, soothing, energizer etc.

10. Shashtika ( a variety of rice – Oryza sativa Linn.)-Seeds
Nutritive, nourishing, energizer, bulk enhancer etc.

Qualities, Therapeutic uses

Qualities in general and actions of Shramahara Gana drugs:
The herbal drugs mentioned under this group are sweet or sour in nature and majority and cooling and cold in potency. They undergo sweet kind of metabolic change.

These act as bulk enhancers, energizers, stimulants, tonics and tissue replenishers. They are the instant energy providers too.

Therapeutic uses of Shramahara gana drugs:
They are useful in dietary supplements in variety of disorders especially in Gastro intestinal disorders and uro- genital diseases. Their good benefits can be appreciated in fatigue, general debility, muscular wasting, cardiac disorders etc.

Ayurvedic medicines

Formulations containing Shramahara drugs :
Draksharishtha, Drakshavaleha, Kharjuradi mantha, Kolakulatthadi kashaya, Dadimarishtha, Matala rasayana, Dadimadyavaleha, Dadimashthaka choorna etc are the well known formulations containing these herbs in major amount.

Disadvantages

Disadvantages of Shramahara gana drugs:
As such these drugs are not having any absolute contra indication s or adverse reactions as majority of the drugs are nutritive and tonics. 

Simple formulations

Simple formulations that can be made from the above drugs and their application in routine practice:
The fruits like Kharjura-Draksha-Phalgu etc can be taken as such as they are the rich sources of vitamins and energy depots. Hot or cold infusion or fresh juice can also be made out of such drugs or in addition to few dry fruits like cashew nut, Badam, Pista etc.

Formulation development opportunities:
Selective herbs of this group can be made into syrups or Lehya can be practiced daily. As they are the rich sources of minerals, vitamins and carbohydrates their Pudding can also be made.
Click to consult Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD(Ayu), PhD